Los Angeles Chargers sign TE Tanner McLachlan

Tanner McLachlan's signing earns a D- Contract Value Index (CVI), a grade that reflects the narrow margin between cost and utility at this stage of the offseason calendar. At $1.005M on a one-year deal, the contract itself carries minimal cap burden—the kind of low-risk, depth-oriented commitment teams routinely make during preseason roster construction—but McLachlan's narrow production profile and limited recent NFL traction make this a classic "prove-it" signing rather than a value pickup. The CVI penalty stems not from the dollar amount, which is replacement-level appropriate, but from the age and salary curve dynamics that suggest diminishing marginal returns on tight end development at this stage; the Chargers are essentially banking on institutional familiarity or injury contingency rather than betting on ascending talent. For a club currently sitting at 11-6 in playoff position with the regular season weeks away, this move signals depth insurance behind the primary scheme rather than a competitive upgrade—exactly the kind of transaction that moves the needle minimally in either direction. The D- grade acknowledges that while the deal is not actively harmful to the salary structure, it also offers little upside relative to what a standard practice-squad or waiver-wire option might provide.